In the grand scheme of things...

blessedandhopeful · January 2014

Hello again BNB. My DH is pretty set on the name Ethan for DS2. I have been on here before trying to drum up support for my favorite choice, Colin, to no avail. He still doesn't like it.

Ian was another option, but at this point I think it has essentially been eliminated for various reasons. The last hump I need to get over in order to say yes to Ethan (unless another name pops up we both like...unlikely) is its popularity. Now, DH has made the argument that although it was #3 in the country last year (#6 in our state), that in 2+ million boys born last year, "only" 17,547 were named Ethan. He also tried to make a point using SSA names from when we were born in the mid-80s, asking how many people do I know with names in the top 10 growing up. In all honesty, I didn't know many, if any, people named after those in the top 10. Also, #3 in my birth year had 46,903 boys named that name. Any idea why that is? More variety in names these days? Less kids born now than back then? Anyway, long explanation short, in the grand scheme of things do you think my (possible) Ethan will be one of 2-3 in his class most years? That is what I am trying to avoid. I grew up with a name in the top 50, but only ran into three others throughout my schooling. One year I did have to go by first name, last initial, and I HATED it. Lol. So, what say you BNB?

Thanks for putting up with me...

nittanyllama · January 2014

I am a Nicole from 1986, and I had to use my last initial all the time as school and I hated it. One class I took there were even three Nicoles with the same last initial. Even when I was in the workplace at my last job I was one of two Nicoles in our department, so it's not JUST limited to school. I really wish I had a more unique name.

However, I do know everyone says there is more variety these days and might not be as much of a big deal. Just throwing this out there, but Evan is similar without the same level of popularity.

I like Ethan but I understand your concerns. Good luck making your decision!

Kmommy91 · January 2014

If you love it then don't let the numbers stop you.

sunflowermama42212 · January 2014

I think parents put way to much thought into popularity. I understand not wanting a popular name but really in the grand scheme of things it's not a big deal. You have no clue how many people pick a what they think is an uncommon name to end up finding out their kid has another kid in their class with the same name. Did it ruin your life to have to go by your first name and last initial? I understand again not wanting a popular name but at the end of the day I just don't think it's the end of the world.

allardr · January 2014

The difference in numbers is definitely now there is more variety and people use more you-neek names. I think if you're so hung up on the name then it's not THE name IMO. Could Ethan be a MN instead?

I definitely would use a high ranking name if I loved it, though not in the top 10. That's my absolute no. But the issue here is you don't even seem to love it.

FWIW I was born 1988 and the only names i recall a lot of are Ashley & Kate's (lots short for Katelyn, Cathryn, etc). Looking up now Ashley was #2....

austenfan919 · January 2014

I think your DH has a point. I don't think today's top names are as prevalent as Jennifer and Ashley were to us growing up.

I had a #10 name the year I was born (mid-80s), and after being one of 3 in my kindergarten class, I haven't met very many others. And it didn't bother me to go my FN last initial that year.

DD has a name that was top 5 in 2010. One preschool class, she was one of 3 girls with that name. Her current class, she is the only one. So you really don't know.

That said, I loved her name for years, so the popularity didn't bother me. If you wouldn't love Ethan even if it wasn't so popular, you should probably still be looking for a name you both like. That's more important than the popularity.

g8trkim · January 2014

Go with Ethan. Like PP said, there are a lot more names these days so they are spread around a little more. Yeah it's technically popular but I personally only know a couple Ethans. I wouldn't worry too much.

vulpini · January 2014

We named DS Ethan after spending some time worrying about the popularity too. We decided to go with it anyway because it had family significance, it was a name we both agreed on, we liked the meaning, and we couldn't come up with any names that we liked better or even as much as Ethan.

We looked at the SSA statistics and came up with the same conclusions as your husband - there is more variety now (you can see this even better if you look at the percentages of all babies named a certain name as opposed to the actual number of births). More people now are purposely looking for uncommon names, using unusual spellings, picking names honoring their cultural heritage, etc etc, which results in today's top 10 being more like the top 25 of the 1980s. Popularity varies a bit state-to-state too, so you can check your local numbers. It's quite possible that DS will have another Ethan in his class at some point, but it's unlikely that it will happen in every class/workplace/etc.

You also never know what name might randomly spike in popularity this year in your town. My own name was number 500-something the year I was born and I still had to do the First Name Last Initial thing a couple times in my life. There is one other Ethan in my local baby play group but there are also two baby Arias and that's number 91.

If it's going to bother you a lot to hear your son's name on another little boy at the playground or to have people tell you "my sister's neighbor also has and Ethan", keep looking.

KristaU831 · January 2014

ITA with your husband. unless you live somewhere where you know a ton of baby Ethans it likely won't be an issue.

i was born in 88 also and i know so many jessicas, ashleys and brittanys. amanda was number 3 and i don't think i graduated or went to school with a single one. or a nicole. so it's regional too.

==N== · January 2014

We took Ethan off our list because of popularity.

However, my ds (7) says he only knows one from back in preschool. (I think he's sick of me asking him how many xyz's he knows) Hasn't met another since. I don't know any either.

Ashleypixie · January 2014

I love the name Ethan and honestly I don't know any. My name (Ashley) was apparently really popular but growing up I didn't know anyone with that name until high school. So you never know, I suppose it depends on the area. What's popular one place isn't always popular in another. However, I believe if you love a name, use it! It shouldn't matter!

strawberrytree · January 2014

There is definitely a lot more variety these days. I looked at the data for 1985 (mid-80s) and the name that had the closest number of births to today's Ethan (17, 547) was Thomas at 17, 583. So instead of comparing the #3 name today with the #3 name in the mid-80s and thinking of how many of those you know, think about how many guys your age you know named Thomas (which was #25 in 1985). That would be a more accurate comparison to make.

Numbers don't always reflect how many kids will be in his class with the same name either. Last year in our playgroup, there were no Olivias (the top name in my province) but three little girls named Isla (which didn't make the local rankings).

asparagus95 · January 2014

I get what you're saying. It's not like Michael or John or James, which will always be common. Its a different name, so it being popular is not the same. That said, if you love it go for it.

Evan is also close, maybe you could both agree on that?

femmepink · January 2014

Ethan is popular right now and yes, I do think he'll come across at least one other Ethan in his classes.

femmepink · January 2014

KristaU831 said:

ITA with your husband. unless you live somewhere where you know a ton of baby Ethans it likely won't be an issue.
i was born in 88 also and i know so many jessicas, ashleys and brittanys. amanda was number 3 and i don't think i graduated or went to school with a single one. or a nicole. so it's regional too.

Just because you don't know a lot of baby Ethans doesn't mean they aren't there.

jessicaluvsjason · January 2014

My husband and I both really liked Ethan for our son, but we also had a problem with the popularity. We went with Easton instead.. similar sound without the popularity. Since naming him, I've heard Easton a little more often than I'd like, but we still love it.

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